An event not to miss

David Ross, Show Me Center director, has walked into the newspaper office only once in his more than 10 years in Cape Girardeau, saying, "This is one of the best performances you will ever see. Trust me." It is a message that he has begun taking to area civic groups and other organizations: the Trans-Siberian Orchestra "rock opera" at the Show Me Center on Nov. 17 is a must-see event.

Ross hopes to pack the Show Me Center for this group. And ticket sales have begun briskly. More than 1,000 tickets were sold in the first two weeks. That's as many as the city of Atlanta sold during the same period for the group's performance there. That comparison is important, because the Trans-Siberian Orchestra has been one of the hottest holiday shows, selling out in metropolitan areas across the country for the past few years. Cape Girardeau is the smallest city they will be performing in this year. If their performance here is a success, it will open the doors to other big-time shows.

While ticket sales have been strong, Ross has a bit of an uphill battle. Few people in the area know about the group, although they might recognize their music from radio. And when some people hear the term "orchestra," they quickly tune out, knowing it is not the kind of performance they want to spend money to attend.

But this is no ordinary performance. A TSO show defies easy description: It is part Broadway musical, part rock concert and part orchestra, featuring laser shows, pyrotechnics and special effects. As one Cape Girardeau resident who has already bought tickets said, "I paid $50 go to their concert elsewhere. At $34 a ticket here, it's a steal." You don't want to miss it.